Unbreakable
by lilythesilly
Summary: Jarley. She misses her friends. She misses Glee Club. She really misses her mom. But she misses Jake the most. Follow up to "I'm Gonna Love You Through It".


_Dear Marley, _

_It really sucks balls that you aren't here. It sucks even more that I can't actually talk to you. Writing has never really been my thing, so these might sound like shit, but its the only thing we have. _

_Schuester has us doing another stupid theme week, only this time its the Beach Boys. I swear, if Blaine, Sam and Artie do another version of 'Good Vibrations', I'll end up throwing the piano through the wall. _

_But, uh, that's not stuff you need to hear about. Your mom said something about writing about things that are happy and positive. I've been talking to her a lot lately. When my mom is working late at the store she invites me over to your house for dinner, and she shows me these videos of you when you were younger. You're the cutest kid I've ever seen, and even when you were five you had so much talent. I can tell your mom misses you a lot. I try and kick the crap out of the guys who give her shit, so you don't have to worry about that._

_Other happy stuff, yeah? Figgins got tired of me protesting Physiology so he banned animal dissection in all classes, so I actually have to go now. You should've seen everyone's faces when I walked into class. It was fuckin' hilarious. _

_I hope you're getting better. I miss you. _

_-Jake _

Marley folds the worn paper and smiles as she sets it back into her nightstand. Its only been a week since the letter came and she's read it about a million times over and over again. She frowns when she realizes that it'll be another three weeks before another one comes.

She looks around her room and sighs. Its a nice room, don't get her wrong. Its very bright, and there's a television and a radio in the corner, even a telephone that she can use once every other week to call her mom. But being here is harder than she could've ever imagined.

She's been there a month and a half and she's still only able to make it through one meal without wanting to throw up, and it took her three weeks to even be able to consume a full meal. Because of this, she's considered a "serious case" and has to have therapy sessions every day of the week.

She misses her friends. She misses Glee Club. She really misses her mom. But she misses Jake the most.

She's staring at Jake's letter again when a nurse comes in, "Marley, Dr. Ferguson is here to take you to dinner." Marley nods and gets up, tucking the letter into her pocket.

When she gets into the hallway, Dr. Ferguson is smiling at her. Marley likes Dr. Ferguson a lot. She's a tiny, young woman, with short blonde hair that curls at the bottom and bright green eyes. The thing that she likes the most about Dr. Ferguson is that she understands what Marley is going through, because she once went through it herself. She doesn't force Marley to talk about anything she doesn't want to talk about, or eating more than what she's currently capable of.

They head into the dining hall and Dr. Ferguson gives her a warm smile as she places the order for their dinner. "So, what've you been doing since I saw you at lunch?"

Marley smiles and props her chin on her fist, "Nothing really. I listened to the radio a bit and heard Regina Spektor's new song. It's really good," she nodded and reached for her pocket, "And I re-read the letter that Jake sent me."

Dr. Ferguson breaks out into a grin and actually _squeals_, "You talk about this Jake guy and awful lot," she mirrors Marley and props her chin on her fists, "tell me about him."

Their soup is brought out, and Dr. Ferguson begins eating (very slowly, Marley notes. Possibly because she might still be recovering herself), but Marley just stares at it for a while before pushing it away. She pulls the letter out of her pocket and unfolds it and then hands it to Dr. Ferguson, who continues to grin as she reads it. "Jake is...well, he's just Jake. He's kind of a bad boy and he has all of these walls up, but he's one of the sweetest and most genuine guys I've ever met. And he's so talented. His voice is amazing," she pauses and bites her lip to keep herself from grinning, "and he's really cute."

Dr. Ferguson smiles and puts down her spoon and reaches across the table and grabs her hand and says, "You have to let me meet him."

* * *

_Dear Marley,_

_I know that I'm supposed to be writing happy shit and whatnot, but I'm really fucking pissed off right now. _

_My dad came to see me the other day when I got home from school. I haven't seen him in 9, 10 years and there he was sitting on my fucking porch. He starts talking to me about how much I've grown up and how much I look like my mom and a bunch of other bullshit. Then he starts talking about how he wishes he were a better father and that it was wrong of him to hide me from his other family. Yeah, no shit it was wrong of him. He starts telling me about this new business idea he has, an expansion of his beer company or something like that, and how he needs funding for it. He had the fucking nerve to ask me for money._

_I told him he should ask Noah for money, and the bastard already did and Noah gave it to him. But apparently he already went through it and his business tanked so he's trying again. I told him I wasn't giving him shit and went into the house. When I came back out later to check the mail he was gone, so I assumed he took the hint. It was really fucking stupid of me to think that he'd ever want anything to do with me._

_I really miss you. I hate this fucking school, and I hate Glee club, and I really fucking hate seeing Kitty and her goons smirking at me every time they see me in the hallways because you're not there with me. I can't fucking wait for you to be back._

_Maybe the next letter will be happier._

_-Jake_

Marley stares at the letter for a while, and before she actually processes it, there's a knock on her door. She quickly throws the letter underneath her pillow as another nurse walks in. "Its time for your afternoon session." She says.

Marley nods and follows her out of the room, casting once last glance at her pillow before she shuts the door. She has two therapists that she sees while she's here. Dr. Ferguson is there to make sure that she's adjusting well to the facility and that she's able to eat properly again. Dr. O'Shea is there to help her understand why she began harming herself in the first place.

When she enters the room she notices that Dr. O'Shea is already seated in the chair and smiling at her. Marley gives her a half smile and takes a seat on the couch next to her and folds her hands in her lap. Dr. O'Shea sets her writing pad on her leg and patiently waits for Marley to begin speaking. Marley twiddles her thumbs for a few moments before speaking, "Jake sent me another letter."

"And that made you happy?" Dr. O'Shea asks her.

Marley thinks for a moment and bites her lip, "Kind of," she starts, "The letter he sent me this time wasn't as nice as the first one. He didn't say anything bad to me personally, but he's just having such a hard time and I feel like its all my fault," Her breath hitches at the end and she has to bite her lip so the tears welling in her eyes won't spill over.

"Why do you think its all your fault?" She asks Marley.

Marley shrugs and sighs, "Because I left him there alone, with no friends, and no one who understands or is willing to listen to him. And especially because it seems like he thinks its his fault that I'm here because I basically told him it was because I said the reason I stopped eating was so I could be skinny and then he'd like me."

Dr. O'Shea nods and writes a few things down on her notepad, "And is that the reason that you're here?"

Marley shakes her head, "Not really." She looks down in her lap, "Its one of the reasons, but not the biggest reason."

"And what is the biggest reason, do you think?" She asks Marley.

Marley takes a deep breath, "My mom, I guess." Dr. O'Shea nods and urges her to continue, "I'm not ashamed of my mom, not at all. She's the most important person in my life," she swallows before she continues, "But I see her face when the other kids at my school make fun of her, and it breaks my heart. And I don't want to have to see her watch me go through that, and I don't _want_ to go through that. I teased enough for being in Glee Club, and for being poor. I didn't want to have to get teased about my weight too. So, I thought that if I lost a few pounds, they wouldn't tease me. But once I started not eating, I couldn't stop." Once she finishes she blinks so that the tears in her eyes finally spill over.

Dr. O'Shea looks over her notes and gives Marley a smile, "I think we're making progress."

* * *

"Hi mama!"

Marley can practically feel her mother's grin as she chuckles through the phone, "Hi, sweetheart. How are you doing?"

Marley smiles, "I'm doing really well, actually. I just got back from dinner and they said that I could have two calls a week since I was making such excellent progress!"

"That's wonderful honey! I'm so happy to hear that you're getting better. I also hear that you're eating two meals a day now!" Her mother says and Marley doesn't miss the excitement in her tone.

"Two and a _half, _thank you very much," She laughs into the phone, "I got half-way through dinner tonight, which they say is really good compared to a few weeks ago." Her mother hums and Marley's smile widens, "How are things back home?" She asks.

"Things are going great here, honey. That Glee Club teacher of yours, Mister Schuester, asked me to help him with the luncheon they're having for the kids before they head to Boston for Nationals." Her mother says.

Marley squeals, "Mama, that's fantastic! I'm so happy for you!" Her mother thanks her and Marley glances at the clock and realizes that it's almost 10 o'clock. "Hey mama, I have to go, it's almost time for bed. But I'll talk to you soon!"

Her mom laughs at her cheerful tone, "Alright, honey. I'll talk to you soon. I love you."

"I love you too, Mama. Goodnight." She hangs up and is about to get out of bed when there is a knock at the door. She opens it to find both Dr. Ferguson and Dr. O'Shea smiling at her.

She takes a step back and lets them enter before sitting on her bed. They look at each other and then look at Marley, "We have excellent news!" Dr. O'Shea says.

Dr. Ferguson nods and smiles, "We've noticed your excellent progress in the past few weeks, and we've decided that its time for you to be moved from "serious case" to a regular patient," she squeals and claps her hands before saying, "which means that you'll be home in no time!"

There's no way Marley can sleep after hearing that. After Dr. Ferguson and Dr. O'Shea leave she lies down on her bed and breaks out into the biggest grin. She can go home soon.

The following week Marley wakes up to find a letter slipped through the slit in her door. She stumbles out of bed an grabs it, and smiles when she sees the familiar return address in the corner.

_Dear Marley, _

_Sorry this is late. I'm literally writing this as I sit on the plane on the way home from Nationals. Which was a-fucking-mazing. _

_Two months. Two more months and I get to see you. I can't even wrap my mind around that statement. I'm so fucking happy that I get to see you soon, and I'm so fucking proud of you. What you've been going through this past year, and where you've been the past couple of months...it takes a really special person to be able to handle all that, but I guess it makes sense, because you're the most special person I've ever met. _

_Nationals went really well. They let me sing the solo, and Mr. Schuester even let me pick the song. They recycled the theme from last year's Regionals, which was "inspiration" and I sang 'Unbreakable' by Fireflight, and in a way, I sang it for you. And in all honesty, not to sound full of myself or anything. But I'm pretty fucking sure that's why we won. _

_Okay, I'm gonna end this before I pass out and you have an unfinished letter in your hands. So, I'll see you soon. I love you._

_-Jake _

Marley drops the letter in her hands and then picks it up to re-read that last sentence. Jake _loves _her? Her, Marley Rose? She bites her lip to stop the huge grin from emerging on her face. She hasn't been this happy in a long time.

* * *

Marley looks around the room that she's come to know for the past seven months. Its empty now that all of her stuff is in her suitcases. But its still very bright, there's still a television and radio in the corner, and a telephone on her dresser. But the thing is, these things don't belong to her anymore. They belong to the girl who comes after her, to help her in the way they did for Marley.

She stares at her reflection in the mirror for a while. Her face is fuller than when she first arrived, and she's at a healthy weight. Not what she was last year, but better than what she was a few months ago.

Her thoughts are interrupted when her mom appears in the doorway. "All the papers are filled out," she gives her daughter a smile and holds out her hand, "time to go home."

Marley squeals and runs over to her mother and envelopes her in a huge hug, "I've missed you so much." She says and rests her head on her mother's shoulder.

Her mother chuckles and rubs her back, "I miss you too, honey," she pulls away and looks at Marley, "but we need to go now. I'm parked in a red-zone."

Marley laughs and picks up her suitcase and then follows her mother out of the room and down the hall. When she gets to the front door of the facility she sees Dr. Ferguson and Dr. O'Shea standing there. Dr. O'Shea pulls her into a hug and says, "If you ever need someone to talk to, you have my card, and you can always call." Marley nods and holds her tighter for a moment before pulling away.

Dr. Ferguson grins and pulls her into a hug that she's sure crushes her lungs. "I'm going to miss you so much," she says, and Marley can hear the hitch in her voice. Dr. Ferguson pulls away and holds her by her arms and says very seriously, "But I don't want to see you here again. Unless its to visit." She adds the last part with a smile.

Marley nods as her mom reaches down to grab her suitcase and nudges her shoulder, "I know how happy and relieved you are to be out of here, so I got you a little surprise," she nods her head towards the front door, "Its waiting in the car."

Marley's heart rate speeds up a bit, because she thinks she knows what her mother is hinting at. She smiles at her mom and waves to the two Doctors before running towards the door and pushing it open. Her mothers car is parked in the front and her breath stops when she sees her surprise.

Jake is leaning against the car with his arms crossed over his chest and looking at something in the street. He looks different, Marley notes. His hair is shorter, and his arms are fuller. But he's still the Jake she remembers. Finally he manages to look over at the building and he stops when he sees her. Marley is insecure for a moment, hoping that Jake will still think she's pretty, when he breaks into a huge grin and uncrosses his arms and holds them open.

Marley laughs and runs into his waiting arms and latches hers around his neck. His arms snake around her waist, and they hold each other so tightly it should be hard to breathe, but its not.

They stay latched on to each other for a few minutes before she pulls away slightly to look him in the eyes, which she notes are the happiest she's ever seen them, "I missed you." She says.

"I miss you too," his breathes, "so fucking much." And then he pulls her in for a kiss. It isn't very heated and it gets interrupted when Marley starts giggling and has to pull away because she's just so happy.

"I loved all of your letters," she says as she rests her head in the crook of his shoulder. Then she raises her head to cup his cheek and looks into his eyes, "And I love you too."

He laughs. Jake Puckerman actually _laughs_. And it is the most beautiful sound that Marley has ever heard and he just looks so happy that Marley has to kiss him again.

They're interrupted when her mom clears her throat, Marley pulls away and giggles as she latches her arms around Jake's neck, and his find their way around her waist again. Her mom just smiles at her, "Are you ready to go home?"

Marley nods and hugs Jake a little tighter, because she totally is.

* * *

**Author's Note: **So listening to 'Crazy/U Drive Me Crazy' and 'Never Say Never' while I wrote this probably wasn't the best idea. I really can't wait for Jarley to be canon. What did you guys think?


End file.
